


Broken Is Okay

by CharmandaSmashedIt



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Broken Families, Drowning, Father-like Tony!, Female Peter Parker, Hurt/Comfort, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Precious Peter Parker, Somebody get them counseling, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-06
Updated: 2018-02-11
Packaged: 2019-03-14 18:10:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13595556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharmandaSmashedIt/pseuds/CharmandaSmashedIt
Summary: Tony takes an irreversible plunge into freezing waters; and Is pretty okay with accepting death at this point. Because inside the suit: Iron Man was Tony Stark. A broken man who pities himself far more than he's willing to admit. And if there is one thing he's sure of, it's that him drowning isn't the worst thing to happen to him - but maybe it is to someone else? Specifically that one nice thing in his life that Tony has yet to acknowledge as his body drifts away.Luckily, a certain Spiderling never takes anything for granted. More importantly; her hero.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~“I asked how you knew I was here, considering you were supposed to be in school – and you’re lips are a freaky shade of bl-“Piper gave an embarrassed laugh, “Wel- Well it was just luck! Yeah, my spidey sense went off and I was like ‘oh no mr. Stark must be drowning’, so that was that, ahaha-“





	1. Everyone's Gone (Everyone but You)

It was oddly peaceful after the first 30 seconds.

The water had stopped rushing into his suit, and perhaps that was because it was full, but it had stopped none the less. All that was left to do was close his eyes and listen to the water swim around him as he drifted down. Though the water wasn’t the warmest, and letting his breath slowly slip from him wasn’t the nicest feeling – he almost enjoyed it. Besides, he couldn’t help but realize there was no one to return to anyways.

So what if he died here, floating to the bottom of this forsaken beach with not a moveable joint in his suit? Who cares if he maybe felt a little bit scared of dying? Of course, he told himself that he wasn’t and that this really was a long time coming – but still. Who would care? Not even he did. In fact, maybe this was for the best – his suit short circuiting abruptly in the middle of a fight because of some stupid electricity was probably just plain karma. And the complete immovability of his suit was probably just mercy, because now he wouldn’t have to go home to nothing. Or to the something he pushed away.

They say your life flashes before your eyes when you die – Tony wasn’t quite there yet, but he was sure that in a few seconds he’d be watching all his mistakes add up to this. To the soul crushing realization that he was dying and nobody would lose any sleep over it. Sure, he offered himself his fans… but that was different, and he knew it. None of them ever cared about the man behind the suit.  
First it was Pepper, who left because he was just one huge ass who couldn’t keep his shit together for more than a few weeks at a time. And then the Avengers had gone their separate ways, after Tony had failed to keep them together. And after Steve had just… Tony wasn’t sure if he just forgot that they were friends or if he just didn’t care.

Maybe it was the fact that he was dying, or just extremely pessimistic, but he couldn’t think of anything else as he neared the bottom. He guessed he was just a few feet from it now, considering it was getting pretty hard to see the sun from where he was currently drowning.

Finally, his chest clenched so tight, Tony thought he might well have been having a heart attack apposed to drowning.  
And then it happened.  
The last bit of air left his lungs and he was left soaring. And it happened just like he thought it would, his back hit the sand (though he barely registered it) and he saw his life. He saw his parents, the avengers. Everything in between. And it was nice for a bit, seeing how they met – and how they bonded. Feeling the trust he felt all those years ago. And then feeling it crumple the way he remembered. And it was sad; so terribly sad again.  
This final recall seemed to be going over every major point in his life, so Tony thought it would have skipped right to where he sat alone in his tower after chasing everyone away, but It didn’t.

Instead, he saw her.

Though he had no idea at the time, the spider mutant would become known to him as Piper Parker. She had hopped into her room, somehow completely oblivious to his presence, and his jaw nearly came unhinged. She was a kid! Piper Parker was a 15 year old kid who fought crime with less hesitation than (Tony would bet) the Avengers themselves. And then he saw his life after that moment, and it wasn’t filled with lonesome nights at the tower. It was filled with him chasing a kid around NYC and Queens – and lots of times the tower – to make sure she wasn’t missing a limb or something. She was there every night after that, always until Tony forced her to leave. And sometimes he would fall asleep, and he’d wake up covered in blankets. Because she was stupid, and Tony realized that maybe she really did like spending her time at the tower. With him. And Tony realized that maybe her stupid jokes and giggles were the only truly innocent thing about his life. That looking after her was maybe the only thing he was really proud of.  
And he knew it was wrong, so totally wrong. But the day her aunt died, not 4 months after they had met, and she moved in with him: That day had changed the tower into a home. Even though they both had already lost theirs.

She was probably the only thing Tony could bring himself to care about, and maybe she actually cared about him. He couldn’t help doubting it – after all the people that have left him, and the shitty things that have happened. He never really knew.  
He wished he could have asked her, though.

And then Tony reached the moment when his tin can of a body hit the ice, and he realized he hadn’t even put up much of struggle. And how he had been left to despair with the fact that his life had practically accumulated to nothing but cash and fame. But there was one good thing, and Tony could have sworn he saw her reaching for him – like one of those tragic death scenes from a movie – as his eyes slipped shut. And he pulled away for what he thought was forever.


	2. If All is Lost Than So Am I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m a mutant, Mr. Stark.’ She said smugly, even as her teeth began to chatter ever so slightly.  
> “Yeah, a mutant wearing practically nothing in the middle of February, so come on get me ou-“
> 
> “Umm, I’m a-actually wearing black pants right now, and they a-absorb sunlight, so…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who is giving this a chance! I love to hear your feedback and ideas, too and it was so nice that I decided to just upload this now.

There was darkness, a brief and abrupt darkness. Until something swept through him and he realized he had a body: he was in a body. And he had to move this body because something inside him desperately needed out.

The something swept through him again and his eyes flew open, and his body angled to the side. He was coughing and coughing and it felt absolutely terrible. He looked down at the snow covered sand and realized just how cold – and wet he was. And that he had just uncontrollably fallen on to his back again with a metallic thunk. And he saw the sky through bleary eyes, and then –

“Mr – Mr. Stark!”

He looked to the side, shocked. Piper Parker was on her knees in the sand, just as drenched as he was – taking in little gasps of breaths. And… Tony realized that maybe those gasps were sobs – because the tears were rolling down her face like rain.

“Are you okay?” She asked shortly. Completely and utterly overwhelmed by worry, though she had no idea of the tears leaking down her face. Tony’s head was spinning, and at his hesitation he could hear her hands dig into the suit that was still encasing his body, but before she panicked he spoke.

“Yeah, Kid,” he paused, looking up at the only slightly relieved face in confusion. He was drowning – he had drowned – he realized, or else he wouldn’t have just puked a ton of water into the sandy snow surrounding them. But he was here, and Spidey was here, clutching his shoulders and soaking wet. Which meant –  
“If I could move right now I’d hug you,” He smiled as she gave an uncertain grin. Then something must have popped into her mind because her face turned serious, and she was only sniffling now.

“Where’s the control panel for your suit?"

“What?”

She sighed already knowing full well he was going to be difficult about whatever she was doing.  
“I need to know so I can turn the heater on, otherwise you’ll – you’ll freeze Mr. Stark. You’re already blue.” Without waiting for his reply she reached for the front of his suit and began to pry open the chest plate.

“Kid,” he began, suddenly increasingly aware of just how weird it was that Piper was here in the middle of a school day to save his sorry ass – and that she was in only a t-shirt and pants.

“You’re the one who’s going to freeze, so get me out –“

“I’m a mutant, Mr. Stark.’ She said smugly, even as her teeth began to chatter ever so slightly.

“Yeah, a mutant wearing practically nothing in the middle of February, so come on get me ou-“

“Umm, I’m a-actually wearing black pants right now, and they a-absorb sunlight, so…” She realized that her stumbling over her words may not have had a great effect, but she was a mutant. And tony was out here for way longer than she was. This was simply logical, and it’s not as if she was going to stop.

“Kid, are you ignoring me? “ And yes, he was getting kind of mad now, because she was the kid and he was the adult. And this whole situation should be flip flopped. Not that he wanted Piper to drown, so maybe that’s not the right way to put it but the point was he was supposed to look after her. Not the other way around. And wait a minute –  
“And how the hell did you even know I was here?” He ground out, trying not to show how cold he was actually beginning to feel. The metal of the suit didn’t help at all either. Of course, Piper already knew that… and he felt a little bad about not being able to keep the irritation from his voice.

Piper furrowed her brows, confused as to why he seemed angry. She had just saved his life, right? She refused to think of what that meant and despite it, she fiddled with some of the wires inside, trying to reconnect the heater to whatever part of the suit still had functions. Which happened to be the surveillance, she realized, considering the only wire that gave a spark was connected to the camera. She gasped.

“I got it!” And she reached for the side of the head panel and began to pull, too cold to mind the furious looks she was getting. Pulling apart the panel was incredibly easy with her strength, so she had no proble-

“-Piper!”

“What?” She frowned looking down at him blankly, as if she hadn’t heard a word he just said (she didn’t) and began stringing the wire through the inside of his suit. Her legs were so cold.

“I asked how you knew I was here, considering you were supposed to be in school – and you’re lips are a freaky shade of bl-“

Piper gave an embarrassed laugh, oblivious to his fatherly tone.  
“We- Well it was just luck! Yeah, my spidey sense went off and I was like ‘oh no mr. Stark must be drowning’, so that was that, ahaha.“

Tony blanked. Was she really giving him attitude right now or did she think he was stupid? He wasn’t so worried about that as the shades her skin was giving off right now, but then he felt it - And he thought he was going to melt.  
“There! N-now I’ll just,” Piper looked at Tony nervously, though she was relieved she was able to get the heat of the suit back on as she placed the mask over his face and clicked it in place. She didn’t really see the issue with what she was doing, but Tony sure did.

“Piper, don’t you even think about – “ She slipped her arms underneath the suit and lifted effortlessly, standing onto her feet and beginning to walk in some direction or other – probably towards the tower. He noticed vaguely through his reprimanding that she had pulled on a black hoodie – which was covered slightly in snow.  
“-oh no, nuh uh, this is not happening. Put me down right now and I’ll walk.” Tony growled, she had to be insane, right? Carrying him through the snow in her stupid, stupid soaked clothes into the city. Not to mention this was a little bit of a blow to his ego. Sure, it could take the hit – but still. He also didn’t want Spidergirl to be reduced to a Popsicle.

Piper only frowned, pulling her hoodie down into her face before trudging onto the sidewalk and soon into the inhabited parts of New York. Hopefully people would think the suit was just a cosplay prop or something. And hopefully her knowledge of New York would get her to the tower before the shaking in her body broke a bone. Spiders didn’t really handle cold too well, did they?

“It’s alright Mr. Stark, I’ll get us there in no time. You’re too tired to walk, anyway. I mean that one time that I a-almost drowned and you saved me, I almost passed out on the spot. Plus, people are g-gonna’ think I’m the coolest cosplayer.”

He sighed, “Piper, I’m supposed to be looking after you, not the other way around-“

“Well, then maybe you should stay alive to do so.”

Tony blanched at the edge in her voice, and looked up at the trembling part of her face that he could see – unsure what to say.  
Clearly, she was pretty shaken up, and Tony didn’t know if the shaking he felt rock him was her shivering – or her nerves running wild. He almost died, and she had saved him. Somehow she had gotten there in time, jumped into the frozen wharf, and ripped him from his supposedly impending doom. Then he remembered the face she held as she leaned over him, and the emotions that were so clearly written there.

Fear, blatant and uncontrolled fear. Fear of him dying. And Tony realized that all the moaning he did about losing people and throwing them away, was so completely wrong.  
Right here he had some kid who looked up to him like he was the greatest person in the world, and apparently cared enough to freeze to death for him. Not to mention, she had nothing else, either. Her parents, uncle, and aunt – they were taken away from her, too. She had lost, just as he did. And she still, after every mistake he had made decided to care and waste her precious time on him anyways. Worse than that, she never saw it as a waste – he realized. He had been so ready to let himself die, completely forgetting that there was a kid who thought of him as a hero. And needed him to be one. Or maybe even… a family.

“I promise… I’m okay, kid.”

A tremor racked her body, and they were in the midst of the city now – she was maneuvering through the waves of people in jerky movements. He could hear her sniffle, and despite himself a warm feeling spread through his chest – eyes sliding closed without much of a thought.

“G-good.”

Piper would have wiped at her nose if she could, but she was almost there and she wasn’t just going to stop now so she could stop sniffling for a minute or two.  
She dove across the street with a hoard of other people, ignoring their curious stares. No-one was taking any pictures, so that meant people were either too shocked or too confused to even think of it.

Piper hated to admit it, but the whole situation back there had her in a panic still. He had stopped breathing, and it was so- so bad. And she had to use the information from an article – a freaking article that she had previously read to give some sort of CPR. Not to even mention that diving down there was one of the most terrifying things she has ever done. Coming back up from the water was hard because one; the water felt like thousands of knives stabbing her at once, and two; she couldn’t find the hole she went down in and she had to make another. Luckily, she thought to throw off her sweat shirt before jumping in, or else she probably would have been ice by now.

And then - then he wasn’t waking up and the whole CPR thing happened, and she will never forget the relief she felt when he woke up. She knew she was crying, and she hated crying, but he was alive. And thank god she wasn’t going to be left all alone. She couldn’t imagine not having Tony in her life anymore, because there was just so much that she counted on him for and it was scary.  
At the end of the day, he was the one she wanted to tell about everything that had happened in it. And when she was sad, he was the one she spent her time with to feel better. Even if they weren’t talking. She knew that she considered him family now, and she also didn’t care that she was probably still just a stupid intern to him. She didn’t want to lose him.

Ten minutes later they came upon Stark tower, and Piper waddled inside – absolutely sure her body was going to fall to a billion pieces of ice. She was stiff, and was unbelievably cold. The warmth the building gave was very welcome – more welcome than a welcome mat. It didn’t help much, though, and she was absolutely dying to change into something dry, and warm – and maybe make some hot chocolate. Mr. Stark had to like hot chocolate.

Again, Piper ignored the looks of people around her as her shoes sloshed against the floor, and water dripped form her form. She half expected to hear complaints from the secretary, but the thought left her and she was talking to Friday.

“Fri-Friday?”

“Yes, Ms. Parker?” Piper groaned at the use of her name and figured her hood was useless now, though she had no free hands to remove it with.

“Can you open the elevator and have it take me to the living quarters? Please?”

“Of course.”

“Thanks, Friday.”

“It is no problem, Ms. Parker.” The elevator dinged and she stepped inside.  
Piper was pretty sure Mr. Stark had fallen asleep by now, considering he had stopped pestering her a good 20 minutes ago. She was also kind of glad that he had; she knew he needed the rest. However, she also doubted he would stay asleep while she ripped him out of his armor. Either way, she was anxious to make sure he was completely okay.

As soon as the elevator released them onto the proper floor, she moved to the kitchen floor – because it was the easiest to clean, and laid him on the ground.  
As she reached shakily for his face plate, he seemed to stir. Probably waking up, Piper mused.  
“Uh,” Tony blinked up at the teen hovering over him, her eyes searching his frantically. He sort of felt like he was waking up from one of those comatose naps – the ones where no dreams visited and neither did a sense of time.

“Are you okay, Mr. Stark? I-I’ll get you out n-now.”  
She began to tear away at his suit, and he remembered. He remembered fighting some ridiculously small electric bots, punching them into oblivion, and then being overwhelmed by the fact that his multi-million dollar suit had just been zapped into a piece of dead metal. Directly atop a large, and very deep, body of water. Which he supposed may be slightly better than falling 200ft to the dirt, but screw that. Dying sucked, he decided.

He remembered accepting that he was going to die. And not even trying to do a single thing about it, because he hadn’t been able to figure out why he should. Until he did. And it was reaching for him at the bottom of some blackened pit that he hadn’t thought he could escape from. Tony realized almost bitterly, because he hated being dramatic, that his suit could have been symbolic of whatever hell-hole Tony’s mind had become. And the girl currently ripping him out of it, and it to pieces, was his savior.

He sat up as soon as she finished with the chest piece, looking at her with a soft look in his eyes. She was too focused, and probably cold he guessed, to notice. And his chest went from warm to unbearably fuzzy at his next thought.  
She cared about him more than anyone else in the world right now, and it was because she never took him for granted. Not once had she seen him as expendable, or forgotten to be there. As so many others had. And she was on her knees, freezing, after jumping into a frozen lake to rescue him and he knew she would never feel an ounce of regret. Because she was stupid. So perfectly stupid.

“Piper,” he said lowly as the last of his “restraints” were ripped to pieces. She whipped her head to him, her skin pale and lips blue. She looked at him with the eyes of a child who had just found their blanket after a week, yet behind her youth Tony saw the age of someone who had lost everything. Over and over again. And it was always there if you looked hard enough. And it was especially prevalent when she was tired, or worried about something important. And he dared to think she was just that right now.

Because his last thoughts had been of the kid who saved his life – many times before today. And her first thought was to be there to save it. And maybe, maybe they were each other’s all. Like some broken family where the parent needed saving just as much as the child did. And the child had no idea they were saving anyone at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more part left and then I think I'll put in some bonus scenes or something! I think it could use some humor... Maybe I'm a little too into the angst? Whoops. And again, to whoever reads this - I really hope you're enjoying it and it can make your day or night or afternoon a little easier! Or angst-ier... but you get the gist?  
> Thank you so much! Every comment and kudo means the world to me!


	3. I Brought You Winter and You Gave Me the Spring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And Piper hated it. How peaceful he had looked lying there, just before she had pushed the much needed air through his lungs. Because life was far too hard on the man in front of her, and it hurt somewhere deep inside her chest that all she could do was bring him back to face it again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kind of want to cry after writing this but it's okay.  
> P.S THERE IS LIKE ONE SWEAR WORD.

“You look like a fucking Popsicle,” he chided halfheartedly. Sliding onto his knees amid the rubble, he looked at her shivering form and frowned when her voice came as nothing but a whisper.

“You looked worse.”

And piper tried to grin, but it came out as more of a grimace, and she had to look away. Gripping her knees to stop her trembling, and hiding her deepening frown as much as possible.

“Kid,-”  
She interrupted him mindlessly, and Tony, in the moment, felt almost like the world had stopped and was looking solely at them. As if the universe, however lame and cliché that sounded, had put aside every other task, emotion, and thought, and left the whole world fuzzy and warm and heartbreaking.

And Piper hated that her eyes burned so badly, because he was alive and it was okay, and she wasn’t scared. She wasn’t scared. And she was so not scared that she could only clear her throat, tilt her chin up, and look at him as if her world hadn’t just crumpled and thrown her head threw a ringer.  
And then he was looking at her seriously; sincerely. And she thought right here in front of her was Iron Man, hero of all of mankind at some point. But all she could see was the tired and broken man who stays up for days at a time, and some of those times can’t help but look like he’s lost all purpose. And she saw his pale, un-breathing body on the snowy beachside. Her hero had nearly been gone forever. And Piper hated it. How peaceful he had looked lying there, just before she had pushed the much needed air through his lungs. Because life was far too hard on the man in front of her, and it hurt somewhere deep inside her chest that all she could do was bring him back to face it again.

“You s-stopped breathing, and I, I couldn’t j-just let you – Mr. Stark you looked s-so… Peaceful?” And he wasn’t just her hero. Because no matter how hard she tries, Piper couldn’t find a single thing or person that she cares about more. He was the family she couldn’t ever afford to lose.

“A-and I just, a-are you sad? Like b-because I know you hurt – a lot. And I can’t h-help at all, but – I’m sorry, I couldn’t just- I don’t know h-how-“

“-Piper,” Tony bit out, and brought his arms around her, bringing her firmly into his hold and saying with a sense of clarity he had only just woken up with -

“Thank you.”

She stiffened, and shortly after the shaking that had been brought on by the cold turned into tremors. She brought her arms underneath his and balled her hands at his shoulder blades as Tony looked down at her softly. She was crying, and it was the way someone cries after they’ve been holding onto something for too long. The way a thunderstorm in the summer uncontrollably hails.

Tony wasn’t entirely sure what Piper meant by what she said, or if he really wanted to believe she had insight on such cruel aspects of life yet, but he knew that she was a kid who hadn’t someone to believe in. Or anyone at all for that matter. She held the weight of what seemed like the world to Tony, and maybe him almost dying had been a little too much.

Not to mention that he really wasn’t being that great of a life line by almost dying. And by not thinking of life the way he should have. Or by – you know what? The list is long so we’ll stop here.

Piper held onto Tony as if he would disappear the moment she gave slack, because she wasn’t sure that he wouldn’t just float away like a ghost. Just like everyone else in her life practically had. They were always there one blissful moment, and gone the next. She didn’t even think about moving; far too comfortable right where she was. Because the undeniable fact was that she had never felt happier than right now; safe – cold, bitterly cold – but safe in the arms of someone who was like a father to her.

She didn’t look up, she only kept her face hidden in his shoulder and held on a little tighter. Because maybe he didn’t want to hear this from her – maybe it wouldn’t seem real to him, but it was the realest thing Piper had ever said.

“M-Mr. Stark?”

“I’m alright kid-“

“No!” She panicked and pushed away to look at his now bewildered face; he had to understand.

“I-I mean – Just listen, o-okay?”

Tony frowned and nodded. They were still on their knees in a growing puddle on the floor, and Piper was gripping his arms. Maybe unconsciously, Tony thought, but he held hers back.

“I know…” And the words were harsh and hard to say, but Piper put all the courage she had into looking him in the eyes. Sad and determined. “I know y-you don’t want to live sometimes.”

Tony blanched, because she was looking right into him and it wasn’t like he could hide the truth of the statement, though he immediately went to correct her. But what could he say? Obviously she had seen the rare moments when he couldn’t chase away the dead look from his eyes. And it’s not as if he could explain in any believable words that the past hour had made him want to live more than he had in a while.

“And I… before I met you… I - I couldn’t find much of a reason to - to live - either, because e-everyone leaves.” And it was true, everyone left at some point. Tony was becoming bitterly aware of their similarities, and it was hard. Because he wanted so much more for her. Wasn’t that why he fretted over her like a parent?  
But that wasn’t her point, so Piper went on.

“But then you asked m-me to help you, and sure you were my hero then, b-but I got to know you, and y-you’ve never let me down-“ Tony hoped that the wetness threatening to spill from his eyes was from him not blinking enough, but he knew otherwise. Because crying didn’t suit him. And not letting people down was also totally out of character, and he could count numerous times he had let Piper down. Like the time he took away her suit – or the time she was crushed by a building without a suit… or literally any other time she had gotten hurt with no one to help her. But he realized now, with such disbelief, that Piper never thought of any of those times as his fault.

And seeing the way she held his gaze when she spoke, he knew she didn’t doubt anything she said. Not for a second. And he thought that this also sort of sucked, because he was going to disappoint. He always did, and that maybe he should tell her that. But then… he couldn’t. Because-

“-And I’ll never look up to anyone else more.”

And he realized that maybe he was stuck with her, and disappointing just wasn’t an option anymore. Because this amazing – so much more than him – kid never doubted him. Not ever. And just maybe he owed her the same thing.

Her gaze faltered, and Piper’s voice wavered slightly, because this was her point. The reason she started saying mushy crap in the first place. There were no other words.

“Y-you might not be, b-but I’m real… I’m really glad you’re alive, Tony.”

And maybe it was the chill in the air, or the cold water soaking them both to the bone. But Tony Stark felt a tide swim up from somewhere deep inside him and push a choke out his throat. And he could clench his jaw as tight as imaginable, maybe even break it. But nothing would stop the sob that slipped from his mouth.  
Because time had stopped for this broken man, and he thought that maybe it was just because he was getting old.

Maybe the universe hadn’t noticed him until now, he supposed. And maybe he had simply been loveless for too long. Because the feeling inside him wasn’t bitter. It wasn’t suffocating or sharp. It was deep and warm, and it was bursting. Because for the first time, the love he was feeling wasn’t broken or torn or stretched or thin. It was full and innocent and unwavering. And it was unconditional.

He wondered briefly if the feeling of pure appreciation and life inside him was some part of himself being pulled back to him. Some part of him that enabled self-preservation or hope or… a deep sort of happiness. Maybe this was redemption. And maybe he was selfish for thinking that, or for finding it in a kid who had issues of their own. But for once, he didn’t doubt it. The only thing his mind had room for was those words.

“I’m glad you’re alive.”

And he wondered if the world had to look away. If the world had to cover its eyes at the brightness of the small, brilliant girl in front of him. Or if it had to rewind the part where Tony Stark, man of esteemed greatness and pride, spills years’ worth of torment from his tear ducts onto the shoulder of a teenage girl. Because he could live.

He could live – as long as Piper Parker believed in him.  
Because if she did, then any broken he was – was perfectly okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it! Tony finally understands that there's someone who loves him more than life itself, and that maybe - that was all he needed to start living again.  
> Also Piper is a total sweetheart. So there's that. And all she wants is for him to be happy.  
> Man fake people are great. Haha!  
> I really hope you guys liked it! I will be adding a bonus because Piper still has to explain how she knew he was drowning! 'Cause her spidey sense did so not tell her that.  
> So what are you hiding Piper? Hmmmm???  
> I love you guys!! And by you guys I mean whoever reads and likes this - Because each smile from you guys makes me wanna smile too. <3


	4. To Live For You Is To Live For Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How long had Tony been oblivious to the guard at his back?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FEELS WARNING!

“T-this makes up for every other time I’ve gotten h-hurt, right?”

He snorted and pulled her away to look at him. And he became painfully aware of just how cold she was. Her skin was pale as snow, and her lips were closer to blue than purple. Not to mention the chattering of her teeth.

“Not in a million years kid, I’m the adult. I can get hurt as much as I want.”

She gaped and began to retort – “But first you need to get into dry clothes. Like immediately. Before I have a Smurf for a kid.”

She blinked at him wildly for a second, and he tried his best to not notice it. He supposed he had never said that exact phrase before, and he really hoped she didn’t care-

She grinned, “D-does that mean you’re my Dad who like created me t-through experimentation and s-stuff? ‘Cause that would sort of make me a Power Puff girl.”

Tony was quiet for a moment before he laughed, actually laughed. Because she had practically just called him her dad, and then herself a Power Puff girl. And life had never seemed simpler than when he was with Piper. Because all it came down to at the end of the day was that they were cared about each other. Like a broken little family. And family stuck by each other. And made stupid, stupid jokes together.

“That works too, kid – now let’s go.” He dragged them to their feet and pushed Piper through the hallway to her room. Because he meant the part where she was starting to look like a Smurf, and the guilt was more prevalent the more he looked at her shivering.

Before she could have the door closed on her, she spun around and asked with all seriousness.

“Wait! Do you… maybe wanna, like- make some hot chocolate or something? Or like, If y-you like hot chocolate! B-because we don’t hav-“

“Yes. What kind of heathen doesn’t like hot chocolate? And movies, we can watch some movies too. Sound good?” Tony actually couldn’t imagine a more perfect way to spend his time.

She stared taken aback a second before she smiled, “Yes!”

“And then you’ll tell me all about how you knew I was in trouble…” And Tony realized grimly, “ And I guess your school will have to be given some sort of half-assed excuse.”

Piper only laughed awkwardly and closed the door abruptly; shouting an “Okay!” just before the door clicked. It’s not that she was hiding anything… or well – she was. But it wasn’t like that. She just didn’t want anyone to stop her from doing it again. Specifically Mr. Stark.

Thinking only vaguely about her worries, she was more focused on stopping the cold ache growing in her bones. So she quickly dug threw her drawers for the warmest clothes she owned – aside from a jacket. Pulling off her clothes she threw them to the floor with a wet slosh, and pulled on new under garments.

Then came a deep red sweater, and black, sport-like sweat pants. The warmth her clothes brought was nice on her freezing skin, but she knew that the chill she felt wouldn’t disappear until she drank some hot chocolate. Or jumped in a flaming hot fire place; but hopefully the hot chocolate would do.

Just as she made it to the living room, Tony pulled out two packets of chocolate powder from the cupboard. He himself had just gone and changed into new clothes: Blue flannel pajama pants and a long sleeved Black t-shirt.

“I assume you like extra chocolate – everyone likes extra chocolate.” He commented and smiled, before pulling out two more packages. Just then the microwave dinged, and Piper could only assume it was two mugs of water that he pulled out.

But that wasn’t why Piper was standing there numbly. No, because the Tony Stark in front of her seemed different. He seemed… Taller? Yes, Piper thought to herself that he wasn’t slouching. His shoulders were held high, the way one stands when nothing bad has ever happened to them. The way one stands when they aren’t weary from battling a war inside their own mind. And Piper knew that that most definitely was not Tony Stark. Because he had been hurt. He had most definitely been hurt.

But now…

He shoved a mug into her hands, and Piper jolted at his appearance in front of her. She didn’t even notice him move. But there he was in front of her, smiling a soft sort of smile she had only seen briefly. It was like… he was… or it was more like he wasn’t trying. Trying to be happy that was.

And Trying he wasn’t. Tony, for the first time in what felt like forever, was effortlessly content. And was actually glad to be in this tower. And most of all he was glad to be here with Piper.

“You’re happy,” Piper commented breathlessly. Looking up at his eyes. At his alive looking eyes.

Tony could only smile sadly, concerned with just how sad he looked all the time. He just… He had needed a wake-up call. And it had come in the form of the hyper-active teen bouncing on her heels in front of him; grinning. And now it was time to be the adult again, because Piper had been acting like one for far too long.

“As long as you’re happy, Ms. Spiderwebs.”

Piper frowned, and Tony knew he shouldn’t have said that. Because this kid could worry about literally anything. She was like a walking ball of anxiety. A bouncy ball, in such a case. So even as she spoke he ushered them over to the couch, careful not to spill the double-chocolate-hot-chocolate in their hands.

“But, l like –“ Tony noticed her shivering still, and tossed a fluffy white blanket across the both of them, “-that’s kind of a lot of pressure on me to be happy, and-“ She gasped.

“That’s why you hired Happy as your driver!”

Tony only blinked at her. _What._

“Sure, kid,” and he ruffled her hair, amused at her rapid train of thought. That wasn’t exactly what he meant, but he was glad she didn’t dwell on it. Because then another sappy conversation would happen and he was pretty good on those for today.

“On another note,” he angled himself towards her on the couch, his knee which was on the couch touched hers – which were angled to the side. 

“How’d you know?”

She straightened and fiddled with her hands underneath the blanket.  
“Does it matter?” She offered, looking at him through her eyelashes. Piper also had enough of the mush for today, and her reason was very mushy.

And Tony thought about it, he really did. Because he supposed it really didn’t matter. But he was curious, so it did matter. It’s not as if her Spider-sense thing actually sensed that far… did it?

“Yeah, yeah it does.”

She sighed and shifted her gaze from the wall to him every so often.

“My phone told me.”

 

“….Yeah, you’re gonna have to elaborate on that.”

Piper sunk even further into the couch and her cheeks burned hot. Tony noticed, because her brown hair was in two braids across her head and nothing could hide the blooming red on her skin. It was such a kid-like reaction, and cute Tony decided, that he wasn’t concerned with why she was struggling so much.

“I programmed FRIDAY to alert my phone and suit whenever you’re in trouble.” She blurted out all at once. The way she tends to do.

Well… Shit.  
Tony didn’t think the kid could have surprised him anymore today, but lo and behold – she just did.  
“You… Baby protocolled me.” The thought was incredibly new to him – being worried about. At least to such an extent… the only one who had ever done that was his mother. The single person from his past he could honestly say he still loved with all his heart. Because he knew that she had never stopped loving him.

And then he was looking down at his little genius in front of him, because the only way she could have programmed an AI was by learning from him. From watching him, he knew. Because her eyes were always on him. Following him and soaking up his words and actions like a sponge. And it had taken him…

“How long?”

Piper sputtered. “What?”

He looked at her, and he wasn’t really seeing her. No, he was trying to find the exact moment when this “intern” had begun to worry about him as much as he did her. To the extent of making sure that she was there for him. How long had Tony been oblivious to the guard at his back?

Piper, of course, thought she was in trouble. Because maybe it was degrading that she had done that. She wasn’t ever sure.

“Well, I mean, it wasn’t so long – Like, I don’t know….” She trailed off hoping he wouldn’t push her for an exact time. Because Piper could remember.

She could remember asking FRIDAY to link his vitals and what-not to her tech. It wasn’t spur of the moment, either. It was before aunt may died; she also recalled. Because she had done it after reminiscing with her about Ben. She had held her Aunt as she cried, then, because it was one of those days. But it made her realize that all she had left was a few people. And the only thing her heart ached for was to protect them.

Hence she went about tapping her new-found mentor’s AI, because he had given her the world. And he probably wasn’t even trying, because he was that awesome, but she didn’t mind. And sure, Piper had the bad habit of caring too easily.

But care too easily and too much she did. Because just two months after working for Tony Stark, she had decided he deserved her best. And her best came in the form of emergency backup – too.

“Hmmm?” Tony pushed.

Piper sighed, looking almost guilty. Tony actually felt a little bad, because he was far more amused than anything. And if he was angry with someone it was with himself.  
“It was like… almost a year ago? Ish…”

“So like…” Tony thought about it – that was around the end of the accords issue. After they had both gotten hurt – and Tony had ignored her for a solid month or so – after… “After the Vulture?” _After I took away your suit and almost got you killed?_

Piper grimaced, “…Yeah.”  
She didn’t like to think about the vulture, not at all really. Because it brought back the image of a ton of concrete falling on her, and her friend’s dad trying to kill her. But she shoved those thoughts away, because it didn’t matter anymore. It was over.

“You did that even after I took your suit away?” Tony knew, it was a question that made him look vulnerable. But it surprised him… well, Piper always did. But he could remember the betrayal on her face as he told her to give it up. How completely hurt and lost she had looked. People didn’t just… forgive that sort of thing. Nobody had ever forgiven him for anything less.

Piper blinked at him, confused. Of course she had still done it. She did feel lost, and a little like the whole world was against her. Because she had only been trying to do her best; but her best hadn’t been good enough. And he had been right… If she wasn’t anything without the suit – what was she with the suit? He had only been trying to look out for her, she knew that. She hadn’t liked it, but she knew it.

“I mean, it’s not like I could ever blame you for that, Mr. Stark. It was my fault, and I forgot it even happened until you said anything!”  
Tony smiled. Of course she had. Piper Parker could forget any and every bad thing done to her by other people and remember all the good things they had done. It was a gift she had, for better or for worse.

“You’re one freaky kid, Pip.” He put his hand on her shoulder, his other holding his hot chocolate. “And I’m glad you are – otherwise I’d be frozen at the bottom of a beach right now.”

Piper looked at him.

“So you’re not… you’re not gonna make me undo it? I won’t. But you don’t want me to…?”

He had to admit that he did sort of want to. Because if he were in trouble then it meant that it was probably something Piper couldn’t handle – which meant it was dangerous. And it was his job to protect her – because she was everything he had left. But for today… today it was alright. Because it felt nice to know someone would be there if worst came to worst, and he wasn’t ready to let go of that just yet.

“I don’t plan on needing help anytime soon, so it shouldn’t matter.”

Piper grinned, watching as he grabbed the remote to the TV and settled in beside her. Completely relaxed.

“So, what movie you want to watch, kid? Space Jam? Loony Tunes? What are the baby superheroes watching these days?”

Piper gave him a look at the use of “Baby Superhero,” but leaned back into couch – and hopefully inconspicuously into Tony’s side before responding. Tony didn’t move away.

“Usually _young adults _my age watch Game of Thrones or something… but… Space Jam is fine.”__

__Indeed, Space Jam was fine. Tony would watch any movie if it meant Piper was happy, in fact; he’s do just about anything to make Piper happy. And he was aware of just how greatly his life had changed because of her. He’d live for the moments he could spend, things he could teach, and the future he could give her. He’d live for that. And he would most certainly die for it. Though he doubted she would let that happen very easily._ _

__He had one good thing left and he wasn’t going to lose it._ _

__He pressed play on the movie, and brought the arm Piper was leaning on around her. She stiffened at first, her anxiety coming into play, but then she dropped her head against his shoulder and lifted the blanket to her chin._ _

__Piper was warm; happy. As if there was an oven heating her from the inside out. And she fell asleep there, two movies later. A deep feeling of content settling deep within her bones. Because a heartbeat, strong and steady was in her ear. And for once, she was sure that it wouldn’t be leaving her anytime soon._ _

__And this scene, this moment. Was so simple. It was easy, and to both of them it was lovely. Tony closed his eyes to the soft breathing of his kid; his hero. And he had no intention of letting go. Because life had never been easy or beautiful for him. But right now he couldn’t see the world as anything but wonderful._ _

__It was only one of many picture perfect moments to come. The soft glow of dusk peeking through the windows, and an undeniable feeling of rightness. Of finality and beginning. The mending souls moved only when the light of morning broke through the window, and life beckoned them again to move._ _

__To live._ _

__To fight and lose and win again._ _

__And they would do all of those things, unavoidably._ _

__But this time – _this time it wouldn’t be alone. ___ __

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! The final chapter for this one-shot!!! I'm so thankful for everyone's comments and support!  
> Anyways, tell me what you think! And again; I'd love to hear some prompts if anyone has a scene they'd like to see done!  
> Thank you for reading!! <3

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first fanfiction on here and I have so many other ideas I think i'm losing my mind. Aside from that! I really hope you enjoy this and please tell me if you do!  
> I'll probably upload the next part tomorrow or something, and it will be significantly longer - so I hope you enjoy longer chapters! If there's anyone reading this... 0.o  
> ALSO! I would love to write some prompts so hmu with some if you want! And I'll write them for you!!  
> Thank you so much for reading!


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